Wind-turbine.



J. G. CHILDS, WIND TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 24, 1910. RENEWED FEB. 9, 1914. 1,1 10,535.

Patented Sept. 15,1914.

J. G. CHILDS.

WIND TURBINE. y APPLIOATION FILED 0011.24, 1910. RENBWBD mme, 1914.

1,1 10,535, Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

witnesses, Imam' 'HE MORRIS PETERS CO.. Pf-IOTIZLLITIO,L WASHINU FON. D.C.

J. G. CHILDS.

WIND TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED 99T. 24, 1910. 1111111191139 rma. 9, 1914.

Patented sept. 15,1914.

5- SHEETS-SHEET 3.

2'51'2.' NORRIS PETERS CG.. PI'IOTCLLITHC., WSNINGTUN. D. C.

J. G. CHILDS. WIND TURBINB.

, y APPLICATION FILED 00T. 24, 1910. RENE-WED PEB. 9, 1914. 1,1 10,535,Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JIM/nay THE MORRIS PETERS Co.. PHOTO-LlfHO.. WASHINOTQN. Q. c.

'J. G. CHILDS..

WIND TURBINE.

y APPLIGATION FILED 001.24, 1910. RBNBWBD 1111.9, 1914. 1 .1 1 0.535.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914,4

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Z2/wafer THE NORRIS PETERS C0.. PHOTO-LITH.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

muren sTATEs PATENT. onnron.

JOSEPH GERSHOM CHILDS, OF WILLESDEN GREEN, LONDON, ENGLAND.

WIND-Tommie.

aliases.

Specification of Letters Patent. lPatellljed Sept. 15, 1914.

Application led October 24, 1910, Serial No. 588,885.v Renewed February9,1914, Serial No. 817,669.

To alt/whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH GEnsHoM CHILDS, asubject of the King of Great Britain, residing atL Hawthorn Road,Willesf den Green, in the county of London, Eng

land, have invented new and useful Imthe first instance a new form ofrotatingv head which surrounds the upper part of the turbine tower. Alsothe invention includes a novel disposition of the supporting bearingsfor such rotating part.

It is a further object of the invention to provide, similarly light andstrong structures for the support of the turbine tails or control vanes,and further to make such vanes themselves readily controllable in spiteof their size.

Yet another object of the invention is to improve the mounting of theturbine wheel and its driving communication with the shaft to which itgives power. Y

Yet another object of the invention and the means by which' they areattained will appear from what follows, and will be more particularlypointed out 'in the appended claims. l v

In they accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is an elevation of the top vof atower with the rotating portion mounted thereon; Fig. la is an enlargedsectional detail illustrating the thrust bearing; Fig. 2 isa planv ofthe same; Fig. 3 is a plan of the tower head showing the supports forthe control vanes; Fig. A is a face elevation, and Fig. 5 an edgeelevation of one of said vanes showing the l mechanismV by which theparts are interconnected. Fig. 6 is an alternative structure of suchmechanism; Fig. 7 diagrammatically illustrates the disposition ofthecontrolling devices for the vanes; Fig. 8 illustrates an alternativedisposition of said controlling devices. Fig. 9 is an elevation of atower head with vane supports for eXtra large installations; Fig. 10 isa detail of the supporting bearing for the tower head.; Fig. 11 is adetail of the gear boX for the driving gears; Fig. 12 diagrammaticallyillustrates a device for holding the wheel stationary.

Fig. 5.

In the structure shown inFigjl the turbine tower is las heretoforecomposed. of inclined angle barsy l say four in number. These aresuitably stayed so as to form an openwork tower of considerablestrength. The rotating head for the turbineis formed by a steel latticeframing 2 surrounding the top of the tower. vA plate 3 secured on theupper end of this framing carries rollers 4: which run upon a track 5secured on a casing 6 at the top of the tower.

As may be seen in further detail in Fig. 10 the rollers 4 are preferablymounted on stationary pins 7 with an intervening roller' bearing 8. Theplate 3 has a fiange 9 eX- tending beneath the rollers and receiving oneend of the pins 7. A second similar roller bearing'is provided at'thebottom of the rotating frame and consists of rollers 10 secured upon theframe and running on a track 11. These rollers are in part protectedfrom exposure by the angle irons forming the base of the rotating framebut are further covered in by the ange 12 which supports the lower endsofv their axles. .These two bearings sufhce to guide the rotatingstructure and being considerably distant apart they readily take'up anylateral stress to which the rotating head may be subjected. The weightof the rotating head is taken by a thrust bearing with a sphericalseating which rests upon a casting 13 securedto the tower. lThis bearingis @scribed in detail in'my concurrent application Serial No. 588,883.As there described the bearing is formed at the end of a tubelt which ishere secured to plate 3. ,As, however, this tube now plays no part inlaterally supporting thevrotating head it need not be so long as in theformer structure. v

It will be clear that the details of the lattice work structure 2 may bevaried at will. The lattice work may even be replaced by a riveted steeltube. Moreover it is not essential that the weight should be taken by acentral bearing though this is preferable. The bearing can be providedbeneath one or other of the journal bearings.

With wind turbines of the size for which the features above describedare intended, namely, for turbines having wheels of from 30 to 50 feetin diameter and much more with still 'largersizes, the supports for theFig.l13 illustrates another-alternative to Y I rio several portions, seeFig. 4. Cross bars 1 9 to VVrotate the `shafts 20.

control vanes become Vverylarg'e structures.A As indicatedV at 15,*Fig.V1, they areV now formed as lattice girders Voffsuitable Vtype generallyresembling" the jib fof a large crane. Moreover on account of theirweight and the difficulty of getting them into posi.

tion they are made to resemble -a cranejib in'yet another importantrespect. ProjectingY steel plates 16 providedy on the rotating latticeframe 2 have a circular opening to receive-a pin. The endsvof thegirders15 fit between the plates 16 andare also perforated. A lpin 17passed-through the girder and plates '16 forms a pivotVV about whichthel girder can rotate. |l`liis structure enablesrthe girder to -behauled 'up the side i ofl the tower in approximately verticalposi# tion;its inner endf is then-set in place between the plates 16 and pin 17inserted. The Oirder is then lifted into approximately horizontalposition by means of a winchv secured on Vthe upper platform ofthetower, z'. e., onor above plate Band the girder is secured 4in suchdesired positionl by guide stays 18.`

InV such large installations; thevanes themselves become extremelyunwieldy and vthe wind pressure upon them i s liable to 'produce seriousstrains. As, described fin my earlier application, SerialNo. 542,117twoY of the VthreeV control vanes'are made revoluble on axes. For thelarge sizes nowy under discussion k'the vane is divided f into securedto the girder 15 support transverse shafts 20. ln' the structure shownthere areV -threecrossbars 19 as the shafts 2O are sufficiently long torequire support in the midpair ofintervening pinions 25. Instead theshafts maybe connected `by;pinions and a rack or crossedchain or bydisks26 and a crossed link 27 shown in Figs. Grand 13.

` In the structure shown in Fig. 9 intended Y for'stilllargerinstallationshaving wheels VfromfOjto 100 feet indiameter, each tailV orvane is supported byfa pair of lattice girders 28 between which ,thecross bars 19 will extend. This gives the vaneY a wider support. Thesegirdersare pivoted to the l rotatinglattice'worlr 29v so` that they maybe readily hauled into positionv asjabove'described. In this structurethe vane may be .still furthersub-divided inasmuch as each the partsmoveV together.

Vvided by which some'portionlof the wheel ygirder 28 support` Va groupIof vane Y plates as illustrated in Fig. 4. The shafts A 2O are then notonly connected inV pairs but the'pairsareYalsointerconnected so that allAs may be seen from Figs. Sand 9the 70 girders supportingthe vanesarestrength ened by transverse girders 29 connecting 'them' atapproximately-the center point of the vanes. Y1n Fig. v9 valso are shownthe ladders 30V by which acccssfis had to the upper Vplatform 31 securedat the top of thevrotating vframe2. The foot of the Vlowest ladderrotates within vthe lower platfWhen repairs 'are to be'executed iit is.desirable that'the turbine wheel diagraim matically indicated byy 33 'inFigi-39 should be rigidly held to vpreventrotation.`V` To this end abracket-34 mayl be provided onthe lower Vplatform 32 Vand perforated toreceive a bolt 35 which willpass also through any one 'of a number ofsuitably disposedper-Y- 'forations in the str'ucturefofVV the .turbinewheeh AAlternatively lor in addition therejg maybe secured'tothe'turbinewheel asin@V dicated inf Fig. 12 abrale ,drum 36 around which passes abrake band 37Qwhich can Ybe tightened by means of the screwBS or-other-Y c wise. Again'a-pair'of.chainsrcouldbe'pro- 95 could bersecu'redagainst motion-in" eitherv direction by attachment tothe platform 32 orother part..VA Y

Returning to the control vvanesit is necessary that as heretoforetl'ier'e sha-ll befsome.v

means of rotatingthese vanesby hand so that the wheel maybe turned outVof the wind when desired. For operation from the ground the structuredescribed in my con-'165 current application Serial No.` 588,883, ma-ybe adopted. This comprises a sleeve 3 9Y slidingupon the central Vshaft40 see' Fig.V 7 by which power is transmitted from the wheel. Thelsleevey has cellars between .110'

whichengages"aroller41 fastened upon the suitably'guidedfrod 42 fromwhiclra cord 43 proceeds to a handle -atthe Vground'level. Another-cordor chain 44attached to sleeve! j 39 lpasses over pulley 45 and then:divides.''1152V Each'of'its ends passes'to a shaft 20of one@ Y of thevanes orV to a drumV secured on 4said shaft. Since the shaftsl ofV eachvanearel interconnected Vtension on 'cord 48V operates allthe'vane partsof both the 4movable vanes. '120 Vlf it is desired. to operate thetwovva'nes in- 'f dependently from below,'fthey Vstructure 39, 41,v42,43, 44, 45 is duplicated.' Itfmay be requisite also to be abletoVturn lthelvanes out of the wind from the;platform'oflthetowerflgb i aswell as from the ground.- v1n.` the structure ShownrinFig. 7 46,747indicate two winches upon one of theV platforms of the towereachadaptedr to controlone ofv the`.vanes.

If desired both vanes mayY be controlled Vby 1go l Y a single winch asindicated in Fig. 8. In this case the two shafts 2O shown are supposedto be one in each of the two movable vanes. They bear pulleys or drums48 to VWhich aresecured cords 49 fastened at their other ends to thedrums 50. These drums are conveniently interconnected by an endless rope5l which lpasses aroundy guide wheels lk-2 secured upon the centraltower, the ropes 5l running along the respective girders l5 whichsupport the vanes. A second rope 53 `secured to the rope 51 and passingto winch 54 enables both vanes to be simultaneously operated. It will benoted also that the connection 51 causes the vanes to work togetherunder wind action replacing the shafts and gear wheels heretoforeemployed for this purposewhich in such` large structures wouldeitherbeftoo cumbrousor mechanically unsatisfactory. In these large structuresit is inconvenient because mechanically diiiicult, to provide the wheelwith a rotating shaft. Instead therefore, as

-isindicated in Fig. 9, the wheel 33 rotatesq upon a stationary shaft 55and carries a gear wheel V56. rThis is connected by a chain -57 to -apinion 58 on a shaft 59 which passes into the gear box 60. This gear boxis shown in'enlarged section in Fig. 11. At its inner end shaft 59carries a bevel pinionl which gears with another bevel pinion 62 securedupon the top of the vertical shaft 40. Around the opening in the gearbox 60 through whichV the shaft l0 passes there is secured by an oiltight joint a sleeve G3 which extends about half way up the gear,

box. There is secured to the shaft 40 above the end of sleeve 63 a dripplate 65. This structure permits the gear box to be filled withlubricant up to about the level shown without fear of leakage. Thus thebevel wheel 6l is almost half immersed in the lubricant and will carryit up to supply pinion 62. The plates 65 will prevent lubricant droppingfrom pinion 62 out of-the gear box. As before the shaft 40 is supportedby a ournal bearing 66 and upward and downward thrust bearings 67.

TVV hat I claim is l. In a wind turbine the combination of a tower, aturbine head rotating upon and inclosing the top of said tower, aturbine wheel journaled in said head, journal roller bear ings at thetop and bottom of said head surrounding said tower and a coveringinclosing said roller bearings and protecting them from exposure.

2. In a wind turbine the combination of a tower, a turbine head rotatingupon and inn closing the top of said tower, a turbine wheel journaled insaid head, roller bearings carried by said head spaced apart at the topand bottom of said headv and surrounding said tower, a thrust bearingtaking the weight of said head and flanged boxings 4f. In a wind turbinethe combination of aV tower, a turbine head rotatably mounted thereon,two ears projecting therefrom, a pivot passing between said ears, agirder on said pivot and between said ears, stays for maintaining saidgir-der in position with regard to said head, and a controlling vanecarried on said girder.

, 5. In a wind turbine the combination of a tower, a rotatablehead'thereon, girders extending laterally from said head, transversemembers secured to said girders, shafts bearing vane plates secured insaid transverse members, said vane plates being non-cen-v trally mountedso as to be rotatable'in opposite directions by wind pressure.

6. In a wind turbine, the combination of a tower, a rotatable headthereon, vertically disposed pairs of gir-ders extending laterallytherefrom, transverse members connecting the girders of each pair, andvane plates rotatably mounted between said transverse members.

7. In a vane for wind turbines, the combination of a supporting member,a pair of shafts secured thereon, vane plates non-centrally mounted onsaidshafts and connections between `said shafts causing them to rotatesimultaneously in opposite directions.

8. In a wind turbine, the combination of a tower, a rotatable headthereon, mutually inclined girdersY extending' laterally therefrom,vanes rotatably mounted on said girders and flexible meansinterconnecting the vanes on said inclined girders.

9. In a wind turbine, the combination of a tower, a rotatable headthereon, a plurality of rotatable controlling vanes extending laterallyfrom said head, means for rotating said vanes by hand from the ground,and means for rotating said vanes by hand from' the top of the tower.

10. In a windV turbine the combination with the turbine wheel of ahorizontal shaft driven thereby, a bevel wheel on the end of said shaft,a Vertical shaft, a bevel pinion on the end of said vertical shaft abovebut intermeshing with said bevel wheel, a gear box surrounding saidbevel wheel and pinions, and a sleeve upstanding in said gear box aroundthe vertical shaft.

11. In a wind turbine, the combination of a tower, a turbineheadsurrounding said tower, a .cylindrical tube projecting do-wnY Y wardfromtheupper'surfaee of said head, a

`casting uniting .theV members of said tower, a thrust bearing Carriedby said casting'. and carryingsaidtube and taking the weight of saidhead, androller bearings spaced apart at thetop and bottom ofsaid headbetweenY said head and s'aid'towen V'12. in Va wind turbine thecombination oi a tower, of metal framework, aturbine head 'rotatablymounted Vupon and. surrounding vvsa-id 'towerpa cylindrieal tubeprojecting downwardrpfrom the upper surface of said: l head, a castinguniting the members of said V.tower atsome distance fromfthe top, a fspherical thrust bearing fiXedfon saidfcastroller'bearings at Vits topand bottom 'oom- V' of said tower.

' members secured to each of said girders, a -pair o-f parallel shaftsmounted upon the prising in Vcombination a cylindrical tube, a tower. ofmetalframework, tracks on the outside of sald tower upon whichthe roller`bearings run`an`d a spher'ioalthrust. bearing'k lbeneath saidtubeearriedby a crossmember 14. Ina wind turbine the combination of a tower,a turbine head mounted rotatably '.Ythereovn, yerticallyldisposed pairsof girders Aextending laterally therefrom, ransverse transverse memberssecured toeaeh of said girders, a pair of Vparallel shafts mounted uponthe transverse members ofeach girder, aseries of Vane platesmountednonfeentrally at intervals along each of said shafts, andconnections between eachv series of vane plates Vcausing them to rotatesimultaneously in opposite directions.. Y "15. A turbine head formed ofmetal framework comprising in combination an upper olatform, a lowerplatform, vertical members connecting said two platforms, cross strutmembers interconnecting' said vertical members, roller bea-rings carriedbeneath said upper and lowerplatforms, and a cylindrical tube projectingdownward from the under side of said upper platform.

16. A turbine head of metal framework comprising in Combination an upperplatform, a lower platform, vertical members connecting said twoplatforms, erossstrut members interconnecting said vertical mem-Vfromth'e top of the tower.

bers, roller bearings oarriedtbeneath s'a-id'up:- per and lowerplatforms, flanged boXings carried by said platforms for proteetingsaid4roller bearings, and aeylindrieal tube projeeting downward from theunder side` of said upperplatform. Y 17,-In awind turbine,thefoombination of a-tower of metal frameworlnvafturbine'head formed ofstruttedl metal frames rotatable upon andinelosing thetop-.ofsaiidtower, D

roller bearings at the top and bottom ofsaid platform upon the top ofsaid head, arplatv- Y form fixed to said tower andbelow said head, aladderflXed to the bottom of said head 'and head between said headand,said tower, a.

lwith its lower end rotatingon said platform on the tower, ladderbetweenthe lowerand upperparts offsaid head, and a turbiner wheel fandcontrolling yanes secured upon said head.

18. fvane for windturbines comprising in combination asupportingmember,a pair of parallel shafts' mounted thereon, 'aseries ofVane plates mounted non-centrally at in-` tervals along each ofsaidVshafts and vconnee'- tions between each seriesof vane plates causingthem Vto rotate simultaneously in opposite directions.V A i. Y

v19. In a wind turbinek kthe combination of a tower, a turbine headmounted rotatablyV vanes extendingllaterally. from said head and meansfor` rotating said Vanes Vby, hand V20. `in a wind turbine,thecombination of tower, a turbine head mounted rotatably thereon, aplurality of rotatable controlling vanes extending laterally `from saidhead, and means for rotating all of said Vanes thereon, a pluralityofrotatablejeontrolling simultaneously and correspondingly from j thetop of the tower. Y

21.`In a windturbine, the combination of a tower, a turbine head mountedrotatably thereon, girders extending laterally from said head, shaftscarried by said girders,

.rosari-i onrsnoM omnes.V

lVitnesses: Y f

LEONARD E. HAYNES, A. E. ODELL.

'Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,V

Washington,D.C. `f A`

